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Abstract:

A system that includes: a configuration management system configured to
receive resource updates submitted by developers of a product line; an
update monitor configured, in manual monitoring, to mark each submitted
resource update with respective variability data specified as relevant to
the update submission, by the developer; and a tracer configured, in
automatic monitoring, to trace portions of the updated resource into
respective features or products of the product line, to determine
variability data relevant to the update submission, wherein when an
update request is initiated by the developer, the configuration
management system is configured to associate the submitted resource
updates with the update request based on common variability data, to
provide resource updates on demand, based on variability data, wherein in
automatic update, the configuration management system is configured to
notify developers on resource updates, based on variability data common
to the updated resource and the notified developers.

Claims:

1. A method comprising: receiving a resource update submitted by a
developer to a configuration management system associated with a product
line software development environment; in a case of manual variability
annotation, the submitted resource update is marked by the developer with
variability data; and in a case of automatic variability annotation,
utilizing variability annotations associated with changed portions of the
updated resources, to mark the submitted resource update with variability
data; providing at least some of the received updates to developers on
the team according to the product or features they are working on; in a
case an update request is initiated by the developer, addressing the
request with resource updates, based on variability data common to the
updated resource and the request; and in a case of automatic update,
notifying one or more developers with resource updates, based on
variability data common to the updated resource and the notified
developers, wherein at least one of: the receiving, the marking, and the
providing is in operative association with at least one processor.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the product line resources
comprise at least one of: computer codes, requirements, design
specifications using documents or models, and tests.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the variability data is
associated with features within a feature model representative of the
product line.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the variability comprises at
least one of: optional, alternative, and mutual exclusive.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the marking is carried out
based on a feature model of the product line, indicative of relevance of
a specified portion of a resource to variability data associated with the
resource update.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the resource update relates
to at least one of: (i) one or more features associated with the product
line, (ii) one or more products of the product line, and (iii) the
product line in its entirety.

7. A system comprising: a configuration management system configured to
receive resource updates submitted by developers associated with a
product line software development environment; an update monitor
configured, in a case of manual variability annotation, to allow the
developer to mark each submitted resource update with respective
variability data specified as relevant to the update submission; and a
tracer configured, in a case of automatic variability annotation, to
trace portions of the updated resource into respective features or
products of the product line, to determine variability data relevant to
the update submission, wherein in case an update request is initiated by
the developer, the configuration management system is configured to
provide as response only those resource updates which fit the variability
data specified in the request, based on the variability data associated
with the resource updates, wherein in a case of automatic update, the
configuration management system is configured to notify one or more
developers on resource updates, based on variability data common to the
updated resources and the notified developers, wherein the configuration
management system, the update monitor, and the tracer, are in operative
association with at least one processor.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the product line resources
comprise at least one of: computer codes, requirements, design
specifications using documents or models, and tests.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the variability data is
associated with features within a feature model representative of the
product line.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the variability data
comprises at least one of: mandatory, optional, alternative, and mutual
exclusive.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the automatic variability
annotation is carried out based on the feature model of the product line,
indicative of relevance of a specified portion of a resource to
variability data associated with the resource update.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the resource update relates
to at least one of: (i) one or more features associated with the product
line, (ii) one or more products of the product line, and (iii) the
product line in its entirety.

13. A computer program product, the computer program product comprising:
a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program
embodied therewith, the computer readable program comprising: computer
readable program configured to receive resource updates submitted by
developers associated with a product line software development
environment; computer readable program configured, in a case of manual
variability annotation, to allow the developer to mark each submitted
resource update with respective variability data specified as relevant to
the update submission; computer readable program configured, in a case of
automatic variability annotation, to trace portions of the updated
resource into respective features or products of the product line, to
determine variability data relevant to the update submission; computer
readable program configured, in a case an update request is initiated by
the developer, to provide as response only those resource updates which
fit the variability data specified in the request, based on the
variability data associated with the submitted resource updates; and
computer readable program configured, in a case of automatic update, to
notify one or more developers on resource updates, based on variability
data common to the updated resource and the notified developers.

14. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the
product line resources comprise at least one of: computer codes, design
specifications using document or models, requirements, and tests.

15. The computer program product according to claim 14, wherein the
variability data is associated with features within a feature model
representative of the product line.

16. The computer program product according to claim 15, wherein the
variability data comprises at least one of: mandatory, optional,
alternative, and mutual exclusive.

17. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the
tracing is carried out based on a feature model of the product line,
indicative of relevance of a specified portion of a resource to
variability data associated with the resource update.

18. The computer program product according to claim 13, wherein the
resource update relates to at least one of: (i) one or more features
associated with the product line, (ii) one or more products of the
product line, and (iii) the product line in its entirety.

Description:

BACKGROUND

[0001] 1. Technical Field

[0002] The present invention relates to software development environment
and more particularly, to applying configuration management concepts to
software product line development.

[0003] 2. Discussion of the Related Art

[0004] The challenges of the customer-driven environment in software
development are targeted by most companies by creating a product line,
being a portfolio of closely related products with variations in features
and functions--rather than just a single product. When developing a
product line resource, such as the product line code, each piece of code
that implements one or more features is marked with the feature it
implements. This applies when developing other product line resources
such as requirements, tests and so forth.

[0005] In order to define specific product out of the product line
platform, the required features for this specific product are chosen from
the feature model. This list of selected features defines the product.
According to the selected features, a specific product can be
materialized out of the product line platform by taking only the
artifacts that are marked with the product selected features, and not
taking other resources.

[0006] Software development today is carried out by teams, wherein in each
team several developers work concurrently and independently on products
of a common product line. When the development is done by teams, a source
control tool that manages the evolution of resources over time is
crucial. A developer may, at any given time, ask to see updates that were
entered by the rest of the team.

[0007] When working according to the product line concept described above
using a source control, some of the changes can be made directly on the
product line context, where all the artifacts of all the products are
presented, while other changes may be performed on specific product
views. Performing changes on a specific product view is sometimes more
convenient since the developer is presented with the relevant artifacts
only. This might be much easier to a developer that needs to upgrade a
specific product he or she is familiar with.

[0008] Currently, when developers wish to work on specific product, they
may ask to see updates and in response, they will get all the updates
that were made to the product line. In other words, they will be working
on the product line in its entirety and get all updated relevant to all
products and features, no matter if this change is relevant to their
product or not.

BRIEF SUMMARY

[0009] One aspect of the invention provides a system that may include the
following components: a configuration management system configured to
receive resource updates submitted by developers associated with a
product line software development environment; an update monitor
configured, in a case of manual monitoring, to mark each submitted
resource update with respective variability data specified as relevant to
the update submission, by the developer; and a tracer configured, in a
case of automatic monitoring, to trace portions of the updated resource
into respective features or products of the product line, to determine
variability data relevant to the update submission, wherein in a case an
update request is initiated by the developer, the configuration
management system is configured to associate the submitted resource
updates with the update request based on common variability data, to
provide resource updates on demand, based on variability data, wherein in
a case of automatic update, the configuration management system is
configured to notify one or more developers with resource updates, based
on variability data common to the updated resource and the notified
developers.

[0010] Other aspects of the invention may include a method arranged to
execute the aforementioned system and a computer readable program
configured to execute the aforementioned system. These, additional,
and/or other aspects and/or advantages of the embodiments of the present
invention are set forth in the detailed description which follows;
possibly inferable from the detailed description; and/or learnable by
practice of the embodiments of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] For a better understanding of embodiments of the invention and to
show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made,
purely by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which like
numerals designate corresponding elements or sections throughout.

[0012] In the accompanying drawings:

[0013] FIG. 1 is a high level schematic block diagram illustrating an
environment of a system according to some embodiments of the invention;

[0014]FIG. 2 is a high level schematic block diagram illustrating the
system according to some embodiments of the invention; and

[0015] FIG. 3 is a high level flowchart diagram illustrating a method
according to some embodiments of the invention.

[0016] The drawings together with the following detailed description make
apparent to those skilled in the art how the invention may be embodied in
practice.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] Prior to setting forth the detailed description, it may be helpful
to set forth definitions of certain terms that will be used hereinafter.

[0018] The term "software product line engineering" or simply "product
line" as used herein in this application refers to software engineering
methods, tools and techniques for creating a collection of similar
software systems from a shared set of software assets using a common
means of production. The product line can be described by a set of
features, and constraints on these features selections. The features may
be modeled by a feature model that defines the features and constraints
among the feature selection for any valid product. In this feature model,
each one of the feature is associated with variability data which
characterizes the type of variations each feature can be represented in a
product configuration. Exemplary feature variability data may include the
following types: (1) mandatory--which means that they must be part of any
product in the product line, (2) optional--which means that there present
in a product is optional, (3) alternative--which means that exactly one
feature from a group must be in every product. Other variability types as
well as other constraints, among feature selection and grouping can also
be defined in the feature model.

[0019] The term "configuration management system" as used herein in this
application refers to a computerized tool configured to establish and
maintain consistency of the performance, functional attributes, and
physical attributes of a product or a product line with its requirements,
design, and operational information throughout its life cycle. One
non-limiting example for a configuration management system is a source
control for computer source code in a software development environment.
Other examples may be requirements management systems such as DOORS®
which is provided with its own version management for the resources. It
is noted that other types of configuration management systems may exist.

[0020] With specific reference now to the drawings in detail, it is
stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for
purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of the
present invention only, and are presented in the cause of providing what
is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of
the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard,
no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more
detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the
invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to
those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be
embodied in practice.

[0021] Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in
detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its
application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the
components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the
drawings. The invention is applicable to other embodiments or of being
practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood
that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose
of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

[0022] FIG. 1 is a high level schematic block diagram illustrating an
environment of a system according to some embodiments of the invention. A
software product-line development environment 10 (hereinafter,
development environment) according to embodiments of the present
invention is shown. A plurality of developer computers 21-26 (such as
personal computers) is connected to development environment 10, possibly
via a computer network (not shown). Respective developers 31-36 are each
associated with one of developer computers 21-26. During the course of
development of a product line, each one of developers 31-36 may work on a
specific product from the product line, on the product line itself, or on
a group of features. While working, the developer may wish to submit
changes or updates to resources he or she uses. For example, developer 32
may wish to update the code portion or requirements she currently works
on, which happens to be relevant to features F3 and F5.
According to the present invention, any submission of a product-line
related update is examined by the source control. In some embodiments,
the submitted update is monitored automatically to trace and detect the
variability data associated with the update submission. In other
embodiments, the developer is enabled to specify during the submission of
an update, the variability data associated with the submission.

[0023] Then, in case an update on demand is required, each developer may
issue an update request. In response, he or she may receive only the
updates that are relevant to the resources they work on. In other
embodiments, developers may receive notification as to updates that are
relevant to the resources they work on.

[0024] For example, developer 33 uses product P1 and so she is
associated with any update on any code, requirement, or test update
relating to product P1. Developer 33 may further be notified
regarding this update either automatically or in response to an inquiry
made by her. Similarly, developer 36 may use product P2 that is
associated with the feature of P1 with the addition of F3,
F5 and so if and when she issues an update request, she receives a
resource update on demand including any type of update relating to
product P1 and features F3 and F5.

[0025] Advantageously, embodiments of the present invention enable a team
of developers 31-36 to develop several different products of the product
line by making the source control tool aware of the product line
information.

[0026]FIG. 2 is a high level schematic block diagram illustrating in
further details aspects of development environment 10 according to some
embodiments of the invention. As explained above, software product line
development environment 10 is associated with product line resources 40
associated in turn with a plurality of products P1-P4 each
associated with one or more features F1-F6. Resources 40 may
include any source code, scripts, requirements, tests, and the like. The
aforementioned products and features are associated between them in a set
of relationships constituting a feature model 50. A plurality of
developer computers 21-24, each in communication with development
environment 10 are configured to enable respective developers 31-34 to
open a session and work independently on product development that
involves, inter alia, resource revising and submission of resource
updates. Each one of developer computers 21-24 is further configured to
enable a developer to specify, upon submission of a resource update,
which products and/or features, the resource update refer to. Development
environment 10 is further operatively associated (or contains) an update
monitor 110 and a configuration management system 100.

[0027] In operation, update monitor 110 is configured to receive resource
updates submitted by developers 31-34 associated with a product line
software development environment 10. Update monitor 110 may be
configured, in a case of manual monitoring, to mark each submitted
resource update with respective variability data specified as relevant to
the update submission, by the developer over their computers. Tracer 120
may be configured, in a case of automatic monitoring, to trace portions
of the updated resource into respective features or products of the
product line, to yield mapping 60 usable to determine variability data
relevant to the update submission.

[0028] Then, in a case an update request is initiated by a developer, the
configuration management system is configured to associate the submitted
resource updates with the update request based on common variability
data, to provide resource updates on demand, based on variability data.
In a case of automatic update, configuration management system 100 is
configured to notify, possibly via notifier 130 one or more developers on
resource updates, based on variability data common to the updated
resource and the notified developers.

[0029] Consistent with some embodiments of the invention, the product line
data specified by any one of the developers comprises a list of one or
more features associated with the product line, and wherein the
configuration management system is further configured to notify only the
developers whose active session on the product line development
environment is associated with products containing at least one of the
features on the list. Additionally and alternatively, in case a developer
is working on a specific product, he or she may be associated (and
possibly notified via notifier 130) with updates relevant to any feature
of his or her product's features. An update can be marked with a product
(and not a feature list) this way, only developers working on this
product would get this update. This last feature may be very useful when
it is clear that this update is relevant to the specific product only,
and should not affect other products. In this case, developers of other
products, and the developers of the product line platform are not
presented with the update.

[0030] Consistent with some embodiments of the invention, the variability
data may be indicative of a type of variations of features within a
feature model 50 representative of the product line. Specifically, the
variability data may include any of the following types of variability
characterizing features of the product line: mandatory, optional,
alternative, and mutual exclusive.

[0031] Consistent with some embodiments of the invention, the tracing by
tracer 120 is carried out based on a feature model 50 of the product
line, usable to determine of relevance of a specified portion of a
resource to variability data associated with the resource update.

[0032] Consistent with some embodiments of the invention, any one of the
resource update may relate to any of the following aspects of the product
line: one or more features associated with the product line, one or more
products of the product line, and the product line in its entirety.

[0033] FIG. 3 is a high level flowchart diagram illustrating a method
according to some embodiments of the invention. Method 300 is not limited
to the aforementioned architecture of development environment 10.
However, for the sake of simplicity, the stages of method 300 will be
described herein in conjunction with components of development
environment 10. Method 300 starts 310 with receiving a resource update
submitted by developers 31-34 to a configuration management system 100
associated with a product line software development environment 10. The
type of update monitoring is then checked 320. In a case of manual
monitoring, marking, possibly via developer computers 21-24 and update
monitor 110, the submitted resource update with variability data
specified as relevant to the update submission, by the developers 31-34,
332. In a case of automatic monitoring, tracing portions, possibly by
tracer 120 of the updated resource into respective features or products
of the product line, to determine variability data relevant to the update
submission 334. Then, two scenarios related to the initiative for an
update requests checked 340. In a case an update request is initiated by
the developer, associating submitted resource updates with the update
request, based on common variability data, to provide resource updates on
demand, based on the variability data 352. In a case of automatic update,
notifying one or more developer with resource updates, based on
variability data common to the updated resource and the notified
developers 354.

[0034] Advantageously and as illustrated above, embodiments of the present
invention introduce product line awareness to a configuration management
system such as a source control tool which allows it to present only
relevant changes and updates to the product line developers. Thus,
challenges of resource control management in a product line environment
are solved in a more efficient manner.

[0035] As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the
present invention may be embodied as a system, method or computer program
product. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention may take the form
of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment
(including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an
embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally
be referred to herein as a "circuit," "module" or "system." Furthermore,
aspects of the present invention may take the form of a computer program
product embodied in one or more computer readable medium(s) having
computer readable program code embodied thereon.

[0036] Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s) may be
utilized. A computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but not
limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared,
or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable
combination of the foregoing. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive
list) of the computer readable storage medium would include the
following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable
computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only
memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash
memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory
(CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any
suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document, a
computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that can
contain, or store a program for use by or in connection with an
instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

[0037] Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be
transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to
wireless, wire-line, optical fiber cable, RF, etc., or any suitable
combination of the foregoing.

[0038] Computer program code for carrying out operations for aspects of
the present invention may be written in any combination of one or more
programming languages, including an object oriented programming language
such as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventional procedural
programming languages, such as the "C" programming language or similar
programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on the
user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software
package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or
entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the
remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type
of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network
(WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for
example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).

[0039] Aspects of the present invention are described above with reference
to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus
(systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of the
invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart
illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the
flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by
computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be
provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose
computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a
machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of
the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create
means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart
and/or block diagram block or blocks.

[0040] These computer program instructions may also be stored in a
computer readable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable
data processing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particular
manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readable medium
produce an article of manufacture including instructions which implement
the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or
blocks.

[0041] The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a
computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices
to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer,
other programmable apparatus or other devices to produce a computer
implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the
computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for
implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block
diagram block or blocks.

[0042] The aforementioned flowchart and diagrams illustrate the
architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of
systems, methods and computer program products according to various
embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the
flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion
of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for
implementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be noted
that, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the
block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two
blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially
concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse
order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted
that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and
combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart
illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based
systems that perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of
special purpose hardware and computer instructions.

[0043] In the above description, an embodiment is an example or
implementation of the inventions. The various appearances of "one
embodiment," "an embodiment" or "some embodiments" do not necessarily all
refer to the same embodiments.

[0044] Although various features of the invention may be described in the
context of a single embodiment, the features may also be provided
separately or in any suitable combination. Conversely, although the
invention may be described herein in the context of separate embodiments
for clarity, the invention may also be implemented in a single
embodiment.

[0045] Reference in the specification to "some embodiments", "an
embodiment", "one embodiment" or "other embodiments" means that a
particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection
with the embodiments is included in at least some embodiments, but not
necessarily all embodiments, of the inventions.

[0046] It is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology
employed herein is not to be construed as limiting and are for
descriptive purpose only.

[0047] The principles and uses of the teachings of the present invention
may be better understood with reference to the accompanying description,
figures and examples.

[0048] It is to be understood that the details set forth herein do not
construe a limitation to an application of the invention.

[0049] Furthermore, it is to be understood that the invention can be
carried out or practiced in various ways and that the invention can be
implemented in embodiments other than the ones outlined in the
description above.

[0050] It is to be understood that the terms "including", "comprising",
"consisting" and grammatical variants thereof do not preclude the
addition of one or more components, features, steps, or integers or
groups thereof and that the terms are to be construed as specifying
components, features, steps or integers.

[0051] If the specification or claims refer to "an additional" element,
that does not preclude there being more than one of the additional
element.

[0052] It is to be understood that where the claims or specification refer
to "a" or "an" element, such reference is not be construed that there is
only one of that element.

[0053] It is to be understood that where the specification states that a
component, feature, structure, or characteristic "may", "might", "can" or
"could" be included, that particular component, feature, structure, or
characteristic is not required to be included.

[0054] Where applicable, although state diagrams, flow diagrams or both
may be used to describe embodiments, the invention is not limited to
those diagrams or to the corresponding descriptions. For example, flow
need not move through each illustrated box or state, or in exactly the
same order as illustrated and described.

[0055] Methods of the present invention may be implemented by performing
or completing manually, automatically, or a combination thereof, selected
steps or tasks.

[0056] The descriptions, examples, methods and materials presented in the
claims and the specification are not to be construed as limiting but
rather as illustrative only.

[0057] Meanings of technical and scientific terms used herein are to be
commonly understood as by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the
invention belongs, unless otherwise defined.

[0058] The present invention may be implemented in the testing or practice
with methods and materials equivalent or similar to those described
herein.

[0059] Any publications, including patents, patent applications and
articles, referenced or mentioned in this specification are herein
incorporated in their entirety into the specification, to the same extent
as if each individual publication was specifically and individually
indicated to be incorporated herein. In addition, citation or
identification of any reference in the description of some embodiments of
the invention shall not be construed as an admission that such reference
is available as prior art to the present invention.

[0060] While the invention has been described with respect to a limited
number of embodiments, these should not be construed as limitations on
the scope of the invention, but rather as exemplifications of some of the
preferred embodiments. Other possible variations, modifications, and
applications are also within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the
scope of the invention should not be limited by what has thus far been
described, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.